The Calypso in Trinidad and Tobago, is mainly of African origin, and can be traced to the traditions of West Africans in terms of music , structure and function. Calypso , which has been called a poor man’s newspaper in times when literacy was not wide spread , traces its roots to African traditions of improvised songs of self-praise and scorn for others, brought here by enslaved peoples. It developed to become both a dance and cultural record of events at first in single tone style with implicit meanings and a spicy flavour.

The roots of “Calypso” are diverse. Some argue it came from “kaiso” a Hausa word for “ bravo” ; some say the word came from the French “carrousseaux” a drinking party; or the Spanish “ calliso” a tropical song ; or the Carib “ carieto” ,meaning the same thing.

**
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_music:
"Sex, scandal, gossip, innuendo, politics, local news, bravado and insulting other calypsonians were the order of the day in classic calypso, just as it is today with classic hip hop."

TRANSCRIPTION OF "CALYPSO WAR" [Also known as "My Intention Is War"]
(Lord Invader, Macbeth, and Duke of Iron)

Note: Transcriptions that I'm unsure of are placed in with a question mark in brackets.

Lord Invader
Yes, my mother dead and my father disown me,
What am I to do?
My mother dead and my father disown me,
What am I to do?
Now I'm livin' in this world and I've got nobody,
No brother, no sister, no cousin family,
But it's war and rebellion when I meet calypsonian,
My intention is war.

Calypso singing is such a technical thing
It was not made for one and every to sing.
How by the heavens can these songsters win
Except by me comin back and seein it’s a sin
My head is like a book that is welcome fat
My tongue like a gun that never is snapped
And I’m sorry for the molester who molest Lord Invader*
My intention is war.

[Audience member? -"Sing it!"]

Macbeth the Great:
Ladies and gents most respectfully,
Please accept my compliments most gorgeously
I most appreciate your loyalty
A patronage that been given to me
I start to sing 1928
Today I’m known as Macbeth the Great
And I want you to know, my friends,
That I master Calypso wherever I go.

Duke of Iron:
Now I believe their condition
They have no ammunition
To fight in this sudden competition.
When it comes to Calypso singing
Both of them, they appear as weaklings.
Don’t they know I’m the Duke of Iron
And I command Calypsonians
wherever I go.

Lord Invader:
This insolent would be
Delirious mule
Audacious lamonger you’re out of rule
You’re abnormal expression
Would no more hearing in this tent at once
Pretender, and stop your sneerin
You gabaless swabbler
Illiterate ape
Now you are in a terrible scrap
And you resemble a man a go go a forty from Tobago***

[audience laughs]

Macbeth the Great
Men like you who are corrupted and defiled
With such dangerous disease you should be exiled
You see the council should have you fumigated
From the company of man you should be isolated.
Ladies and gents, please look at this face
And tell me does that belong to the human race?
[audience laughs]
Those poor fools [foundations?] can’t fool the population.
Tell them roll away.

[audience laughs and claps]

Duke of Iron
Now Lord Invader now listen to me
While I am shaping up your destiny.
How dare you to approach your superior
With your rotten composition that is inferior.
Don’t you know that I am a warrior of royal birth
And I will put you six under the earth.
Don’t you see that I am the Duke of Iron
And I destroy Calypsonians
Everywhere I go.

Lord Invader:
Once my enemies found me in attack
I fought them bravely, I fought them back.
Some people call me the great Julius Caesar
While others call me William The Conqueror.
It is not for me they have got to fear
It’s long simple why I got them there.
I’m just like a mystic when I should face these lunatics.
My intention is war.

[Audience laugh or uploader laugh]

Macbeth the Great
When on the battle field I begin to crawl
Calypsonians become excited get up and bawl.
Ferocious beast before my bravery
[nay that me mostly?] to be killed and slain.
Listen to me, they are just like a lamb
For the worse ammunition can’t do me no harm.
For my [beckoning?] is as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar.
Tell them run away.

Duke of Iron
Invader, has not fall into submission.
But we goin to finish with this composition.
But I want you to know
That you cannot beat Trinidad for Calypso.
Now ladies and gents accept my compliments.
I know that you have accepted our implements.
So we going to end up with this little Calypso
Because its getting late.

Macbeth the Great [?] says “No, no not yet. Finish up now.”

Lord Invader
Now I’m gonna rhyme most extemporaneously
And show you my singing ability.
I’m proud and delighted to have you here.
And to tell you without no care,
Ladies and gentlemen we welcome you whole heartedly
And to tell you plain and candidly
Lord Invader a massive Calypsonian
Has gained satisfaction
My intention is war.

-end of transcription (Azizi Powell, 5/27/2012)

Notes:
* if I enter the competition and see what they’re doing is a sin [because it’s so poorly composed]

**I'm sorry for the molester who [attempts to molest (mess with) Lord Invader [because when it comes to challenging me in a Calpyso competition they will be beaten]

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I'm an African American mother, grandmother, & retired human services administrator. For more than forty years I have shared adapted West African stories with audiences in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
I have four blogspots: pancocojams, zumalayah, cocojams2, and .Civil Rights Songs. Much of the content of these blogs were previously found on my cocojams and jambalayah cultural websites. I curate all of these blogs on a voluntary basis.
Each of these blogs have the primary goal of raising awareness about cultural aspects of African American culture and of other Black cultures throughout the world, particularly in regards to music & dance traditions.
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